Stop labeling Trans and gender non-conforming people mentally ill

Being Transsexual/Transgender or gender non-conforming is a natural variation in the human experience, no different than being gay, being of a different ethnic background, having different color hair, eyes, being tall, short, etc. However in order for lots of trans individuals to get adequate transitional medical care or change/update their identity documents to match their gender identity they must be diagnosed with 'Gender Identity Disorder' GID (the DSM V is proposing callings it Gender Dysphoria). In this day and age it's rather amazing that we still consider such people mentally ill. Being gay was removed in the 1970's and yet in 2012 trans and gender non-conforming people are still labelled such. It is unforgivable, We need not treat them this way. A lot of people worry that if there is no diagnosis trans and gender non-conforming people will not be able to get transitional care but I believe that we could then move to a system based on Informed Consent. Please tell the APA to do the right thing and remove the stigma forever.

Letter to

The American Psychiatric Association (APA)The American Psychiatric Association (APA)

I just signed the following petition addressed to: The American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Being Transsexual/Transgender or gender non-conforming is a natural variation in the human experience, no different than being gay, being of a different ethnic background, having different color hair, eyes, being tall, short, etc. However in order for lots of trans individuals to get adequate transitional medical care or change/update their identity documents to match their gender identity they must be diagnosed with 'Gender Identity Disorder' GID (the DSM V is proposing callings it Gender Dysphoria). In this day and age it's rather amazing that we still consider such people mentally ill. Being gay was removed in the 1970's and yet in 2012 trans and gender non-conforming people are still labelled such. It is unforgivable, We need not treat them this way. A lot of people worry that if there is no diagnosis trans and gender non-conforming people will not be able to get transitional care but I believe that we could then move to a system based on Informed Consent. Please tell the APA to do the right thing and remove the stigma for ever.----------------